Trophic Strategy

The eastern oyster is a filter-feeder, removing particulate matter from the water column (Berquist et al. 2006). It has small laterofrontal cilli that facilitate the retention of particles between 5-6_m. The filtration rate of Crassostrea virginica was measured at 6.80 liters of seawater per hour in laboratory experiments (Riisg?rd 1988). Other sources suggest that it is as high as 36 liters per hour (Brusca and Brusca 1990).In laboratory experiments, Crassostrea virginica was shown to selectively ingest nutritional organic material. The cilli present in the gills were used to sort out unwanted material from the mucus layer by pushing it out of the gill (Newell and Jordan 1983).